In the cold depths of a Kansas City winter, the furnace in your home provides comfort, heat, and air circulation to all who live there. The furnace is a key component in the home's overall heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). But, in the winter, when temperatures can drop into the negatives for days at a time, the furnace is the only appliance in the home that can keep the environment livable, prevent the pipes from freezing, and keep your family safe from dangerous cold. But what happens when the furnace stops working? What should you do? Should you try to fix the furnace yourself? Who do you call for help? We'll take a look at a few tips on what you should do when the furnace stops working, but first a little helpful information about home furnaces for our readers.

There are many brands and manufacturers of home furnaces. You may have heard of American Standard, Trane, Carrier, Rheem, and Lennox. Each is a quality furnace brand that's popular with home owners and home builders alike. But, as with any major appliance, your furnace will only operate for so long before it has a breakdown. Even under perfect operating conditions and regular seasonal maintenance, your furnace is just a piece of equipment. It has moving parts. It will someday stop working properly and require a servicing. The average lifespan of a home furnace (depending on whom you ask) is anywhere between 15 and 25 years. Some top models may run reliably for as much as 30 years. In any case, if your home furnace is over 15 years old, it's not a bad idea to have it regularly serviced by an HVAC service professional.

Here's what you should do when the furnace stops working during the winter.

1. If you live in Olathe, Overland Park, Lenexa, or any of the surrounding cities, immediately call an HVAC maintenance specialist such as the Davenport Service Company.

2. If you have a gas or wood-burning fireplace, you can provide heat to portions of the house by opening the flue and lighting a fire. But, please use all fire-safety precautions when starting a fire in your fireplace.

3. Open the cabinet doors beneath your sinks in the kitchen and bathroom to help prevent the pipes from freezing.

4. If you have drafty windows and doors, close the drapes and hang towels or blankets to minimize the flow of cold air into the rooms.

5. Close the doors to any unnecessary rooms in the house (guest rooms, hobby rooms, media rooms) to keep as much of the warm air in the heart of the home.

6. Minimize the traffic in and out of the house. Every time you open a door to go outside, you're letting in cold air.

7. If the furnace goes out during the night, you can gather the family together in one room for a slumber party. A space heater can be used to keep the room warm, but please use all safety precautions with your space heaters.

8. Avoid using the stove or oven to warm the house. This is a fire hazard in the making.

9. Dress warm and break out the spare blankets.

10. Keep in mind that the house will retain enough heat to prevent the pipes from freezing for a day or so, but an extended period without heat, especially during a bitter cold spell, may result in frozen or burst pipes.

Founded in 1980, Davenport Service Company has provided "Customer First" service in Johnson County, Kansas for over three decades. We provide 24/7 emergency service, preventive maintenance service, and seasonal tune-ups for commercial and residential heating and air conditioning systems. Call 913-441-2222 for hassle-free scheduling today!